Lara Kimmerer | photographer

the little moments

Yesterday I decided to update my website a bit.  I added new images and new galleries, which forced me to look through the many photographs I have taken in the past year.  Capturing moments in other people's lives is what I do, however each moment I'm doing that is still a moment in my life.  I have been very lucky to be surrounded by people I enjoy being around - and who have enriched my everyday.

Recently I received an email from someone who knew my mom years ago.  He said, "Your work is amazing !!  I have seen a lot of wedding photos in my life, but yours seem to have so much 'fun', 'joy' & 'life' captured in them...I bet your Mom is extremely proud!"  What a wonderful message to receive!  This came from someone who is not a client and is not in any of the images.  His opinion is unbiased, which made it even more fun to read.  I see the joy and life in my work - and it's nice to know that others do as well.  That's what I want my photography to capture.  These are the moments that are important to me.

A few days ago a close friend of mine lost her mom after a brief, but tough illness.  It's lilac hunting season, which always makes me miss my mom.  And, Mother's Day is close by.  A combination of all of these things, plus a few more, made my reaction to this photograph that much stronger when I discovered it yesterday.

 

I've been doing a project with Nicole over the last year.  We've been documenting a year in the life of Eli - and of her becoming a new mom and her husband Conor becoming a dad for the first time.  I visited with them in September and most recently in February for our 1 year meeting.  I hadn't really looked at any of the images until yesterday.  Maybe this moment would have grabbed me anyway, but with everything going on in life right now...this makes my heart sing.

And one more.

 

It's my belief that saying "I love you" is one of the most important things you can say to someone.  Say it when you feel it - don't hold back.  Life is way too short to hold anything back.

Cassandra & Lenny | engaged

Very early in 2010 I met Cassandra and Lenny to discuss the possibility of me photographing their wedding.  I was referred to them by Jen (of Jen & Jeff) - and referrals are always the best way to meet prospective clients and friends.

The first thing that struck me about them was how well they fit together as a couple.  The second was that Cassandra was incredibly friendly and talkative, while Lenny was definitely the quiet one.  After a little while though, Lenny starting talking and asking me questions - he completely surprised me.  He owns his own business, so we had a lot of similarities in our business philosophies.  By the end of the evening I really felt like we connected, and I was looking forward to hearing from them soon.  A couple of days later Cassandra called me, very excited to ask if I would be their photographer.

Cassandra has been waiting patiently for these photos, so let's get on with it, shall we?

I love this one very much.

 

 

 

The feeling in this one makes me smile.

This may be my favorite from the day.

 

 

And lastly, Ruby!

  

Cassandra and Lenny - I think that was a great warm-up for your wedding day.  Peter and I are looking forward to it very much! 

 
 
 
  

 

another year :: another birthday

Last weekend I celebrated another year in the life of me.  This was the first year that I can remember where a sense of calm filled me the entire day.  When I was younger my birthday was one of the most exciting days of the year for me.  I would often get so excited that I'd have a major let down when the day was over.  I would become very depressed and even start to cry.  I never wanted things to end.  It must have been overwhelming to be my mom.  She always did an amazing job of making mine and my brother's birthdays special, but not over the top.

My mom has been gone for 5 of my birthdays now, which is getting easier with each year, but I do miss hearing the story of the day I was born.  I heard it every year, and in between birthdays as well if the story fit the conversation we were having, so I know I know it, but it isn't the same.  Having a birthday without the person who gave birth to you is a strange thing to experience.

But, like I said, I was extremely calm this year.  I was surprised to receive flowers from my friend Cathy and my friend Amanda, whom I've know since I was five.  My brother and dad have been good about getting me flowers the last two years as well.  It took a bit of coaxing, but I think they've got it down now.  Peter's present to me is wine tasting classes in May, which I'm very excited about.  I really enjoy wine.

Overall, my day was pretty perfect.

pastries from clear flour.

  

an african violet that I've been trying to bring back to life for close to a year started to show through the dirt on my birthday.

  

me - on my 31st birthday.

 

******

While typing this post I realized that I never wrote about my 30th birthday, which was wonderful.  Friends from NJ and Boston traveled to the cape to celebrate with me.  We rented a cute (but fairly large) cape and spent the days walking around Ptown and making food and drinking coffee in the morning, and wine in the afternoon - and there was even a hot tub.

Scenes from last year:

 

Birthdays, as with any anniversaries, are a day to use as a marker.  You can look back a year ago - 5 years ago, etc. and see how far you've come, how much you've grown and changed, and how life has changed.  

In these images there are two couples who, at the time these were taken, just engaged.  Peter and I were honored to be in both of their weddings.  There is another couple who are going to be married this summer.

For me, much has changed in just one year.  Many of the changes are internal and wouldn't be noticed by most, but I feel them very much.  My business has grown quite considerably as well - which I'm excited about and grateful for, but it is true that a lot of hard work contributed to that happening - and a lot of wonderful clients.

  

 Thank you to all of my friends for the birthday wishes this year and last.  I'm quite a lucky person to be surrounded by so many amazing and loving people.

***check back soon for photos from a recent engagement shoot I did with a sweet couple!